The invention relates generally to computer systems and networks, and more particularly to an improved method and system for deploying applications to users and computers, particularly in a network.
In contemporary enterprises such as a corporation, one of the duties of a network administrator is to set up and maintain the corporation""s computers so as to make employees more productive. Lost productivity at employees"" computer desktops is a major cost for corporations, often resulting from user errors such as inadvertently removing some or all of a needed application or using an old application rather than an enterprise-specified one that is improved, secure and/or compatible with others. Productivity is also lost when a desktop is too complex, such as when the desktop has too many non-essential applications and features thereon. Much of the expense of administering distributed personal computer networks is spent at the desktop, performing tasks such as fixing the applications and settings that the user has incorrectly or inadvertently modified.
At the same time, an enterprise wants certain personnel to have access to various software applications, while wanting other applications to be available to certain users for access if needed. For example, a corporate enterprise may declare a policy specifying that everyone in the company should use a particular electronic mail program, while in addition, those in the research department should be able to load a particular spreadsheet application if needed. Similarly, the enterprise may decide that employees spend too much time browsing the Internet, whereby the enterprise desires that only certain groups such as the research group and management group should have Internet browsers installed on their machines.
However, to implement such policy decisions, administrators or the like generally need to physically visit each workstation to load or unload the specified programs, and spend time with the employees regarding the need for installing optional programs. In addition to initially setting the computers, the administrators must hope (or regularly check) that the users do not change the settings, however users regularly make modifications, leading to lost productivity. The administrator also needs to revisit the workstations to install new versions of applications.
Moreover, such policies cause problems when multiple users share the same computer, since a policy instituted for one user of that computer may not be compatible with the policy for another. As can be readily appreciated, deploying applications in an enterprise is a complex task that does not fit in well with existing systems and methods.
Briefly, the present invention provides a method and system for advertising software applications, such as those assigned to a user via a policy, whereby each advertised application appears available to the user even if not installed. Applications may be advertised as available from a source, even though the application is not actually installed. Applications are advertised as available to the user by placing application shortcuts on a start menu or desktop and by writing entries to the system registry such as to enable document invocation through the Windows shell and class activation through system components and applications, i.e., file-extension based activation and COM (Component Object Model) CLSID (class identifier)/OLE-based activation, respectively. In this manner, applications may be advertised as available, prior to the actual installation thereof. An installer installs advertised applications as needed, i.e., upon user activation of the application.
The present invention may be used for application deployment from a centralized network source, wherein to accomplish advertising, one or more advertising scripts are stored with a policy associated with computer or user policy recipients, and each advertising script includes a product assigned to the policy recipient. When one or more advertising scripts are applied, such as to a user at logon or a machine at re-boot, assigned applications are advertised as available to the user, i.e., by placing application shortcuts on a start menu or desktop and by writing entries to the system registry. In this manner, assigned applications may be advertised as available, prior to the actual installation thereof. The installer installs the advertised applications as needed, i.e., upon user activation of the application. Other applications may be published, whereby they do not appear to be available, but are optionally available if activated (e.g., via file extension-based activation and CLSID-based activation) or manually installed by a user. If found, the installer mechanism installs the published application and advertises it, essentially changing the application to an assigned application.
Other benefits and advantages will become apparent from the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings, in which: